SHOAF, Francis Arista (Dr) - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Dr. F. A. Shoaf, 77, for many years a practicing physician and a resident of Veedersburg, died at Lake Manitou, near Rochester, Indiana, late Monday afternoon. He was widely known in this section of the state and was the father of Mrs. Elizabeth Purnell, wife of Congressman Fred S. Purnell of Attica. He was born at Wallace, Ind in 1855, the son of Jacob and Elizabeth Livengood Shoaf. He lived at Wallace until he grew to manhood when he located at Veedersburg and practiced medicine for several years. On April 4 1910, he was married to Jennie Inlow and to this union two children were born, Mrs. Elizabeth Purnell and a son who died in infancy. Mrs. Shoaf met a tragic death at Hillsboro several years ago when she was struck by a Big Four train. In October 1911, he was married to Lucile McCarthy, who survives him together with two children, Eileen and Francis. For the past twenty years, he has lived in Kokomo, Indiana, and there followed his practice of medicine. He retained his membership in the Lutheran church at Wallace, which he established when a young man. About three months ago his health became seriously impaired and at that time he went to Lake Manitou for rest and in the hopes of regining his former good health. Complications however arose which resulted in his death at 3 o'clock Monday afternoon. His sudden demise came as a great shock to his many friends in this section who were unaware that his illness was of such a grave nature. In addition to his wife and daughter, Mrs. Purnell, he leaves two grandsons Samuel and Frederick Purnell, of Attica, a sister Mrs. Hugh McCrary of Kingman and a brother, D. C. Shoaf of Wallace. Another brother Edgar of Kingman passed away four weeks ago. Funeral services were held at the Veedersburg Christian Church at 2:30 o'clock, Thursday afternoon, with Rev. O. W. McGaughey in charge. A short service was held at the home at Kokomo on Thursday morning previous to returning the body to Veedersburg. Interment took place at the Rockfield cemetery.